Compare towns
Bennington vs Westminster vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Bennington | Westminster | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
2,999Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$71,491±$4kHighest 12% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Westminster and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 10% below VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #58 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Bellows Falls Union High School | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
10.6Lowest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.